Acne - Popping a Pimple (if You Must)

By Stephanie McIntyre
www.acnesolutionsuniverse.com

Most acne experts will tell you that you never should pop a pimple. There's the danger of scarring, and the even more dangerous possibility of infection. So what do you do if you've got a large pus-filled, red bump on your face; and you don't want to show it to the world. Well though we all know we shouldn't do it, just about every one of us who has struggled with acne has popped a pimple at one time or another.

It's not something that you want to get into the habit of doing, partly because of the aforementioned dangers, but also because it doesn't always seem to work. You might be able to squeeze out the pus, but sometimes the rest of the zit still remains (and looks worse). But if you absolutely are dead set on doing so, here's how to pop one.

First of all, make sure that everything that comes in contact with the pimple is clean. This includes the surrounding area, your hands, and any foreign instruments (needles, cloths) that you may use. And you want your skin as soft and pliable as possible so a nice hot bath beforehand will soften it up.

You have to make sure your hands are completely clean - including fingernails because you don't want bacteria from them contaminating the wound you create. Hands can be covered with germs that are just looking for a place to enter your nice warm insides and multiply. Use a good germ-killing soap for this, and maybe wash more than once to be sure.

After that, wash your face. Again, use something that will kill germs (like a good acne cleanser). Make sure you wash it thoroughly but don't do it more than once. This may dry your skin and irritate existing acne. Wash it gently so you don't aggravate the acne you do have and so it doesn't pop your pimples inadvertently. After this, you can rub around the pimple's immediate area with alcohol, to ensure its germ free.

Use a clean and sterile needle to gently prick the very tip of the pimple. Then using a sterile cloth, tissue or piece of gauze - gently squeeze the zit until all pus has been expelled and a clear fluid or blood starts to emerge.

This procedure should only be done with a pimple that's ready to be broken. If it's not, it won't work and the zit can actually look worse for the effort. So be sure its ready before you proceed.